Stirring and opening means for containers



J. P. CROASDALE, JR

STIRRING AND OPENING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. '7, 1953 Patented Dec. 24, 1935 UNITED STATES STIRRING AND OPENING MEANS FOR CONTAINERS John P. Croasdale, Jr., Berwyn, Pa., assignor of one-half to Anne Spencer Shaw,

Hill, Pa.

Chestnut Application December 7, 1933, Serial No. 701,292

8 Claims.

The invention relates to stirring and opening means for containers.

The invention comprises improvements in means for stirring the contents of closed con- 5 tainers; that is, before removing the lid or closure from said container.

The object is to provide improved means for obtaining the results desired as herein specified. The invention includes a stirring element, or stirrer, an actuating element, or actuator, normally hermetically sealed with the closure, and means whereby the seal may be broken when it is desired to operate the stirrer.

The invention includes means whereby the 15 parts are assembled and remain properly positioned for applying the hermetic seal between actuator and closure.

The invention includes an improved opening device adapted to cooperate with the actuator and 20 normally mounted thereon for transportation, said opening device being adapted also to provide means for bringing the handle part of the actuator into manually operative position.

The actuator is also adapted when, in said nor- 25 mal position, to cooperate in holding and stabilizing the movable parts, associated with the closure, during the application of the hermetic seal. Referring to the drawing which illustrates, merely by way of example, suitable means for 30 efiecting the invention;

Fig. 1 is a vertical section, on line I, I of Fig. 2, of a can employing my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 2. 35 Fig. 4 is a plan view of the operating elements. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on line 5, 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 6, 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the device for oo- 40 operation with the handle part of the actuator and also for opening the container.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

It is known that containers such as tin cans 45 for holding paint, varnish and the like, are provided with lids or closures which are adapted to be forced into close engagement with the margin of the can opening, thereby forming a seal which is air-tight. This air-tight or hermetic closure of the can is necessary to prevent evaporation of the volatile constituent of the can contents.

It is also known that ready mixed paints, varnishes and the like, contain ingredients which 55 tend to separate, the heavier part from the more fluid part, so that it is necessary thoroughly to stir the contents before using.

As the cans are filled almost to the top, it becomes practically impossible to stir the contents, after removing the closure, without splashing or 5 spilling some of the contents.

It has therefore become extremely desirable to provide means for stirring said contents before removing the closure from the container.

It is also essential that this stirring means be 10 associated with the container so that the hermetic seal shall not be impaired until immediately before the stirring and using of the contents, since otherwise, the escape of the volatile part thereof will impair the usefulness of said content.

This invention is especially useful in connection with small containers, which are used in very large quantities for domestic purposes.

This invention comprises improvements in the device described and claimed in Patent No. 1,926,655.

In Figs. 1 and 2 are shown, by way of example, the standard can with my improved stirring mechanism associated therewith.

The can or container I5 is provided with the overhanging flange H6 at the top, provided with the annular groove or channel ll, adapted to receive the cooperating downwardly projecting flange or portion l8 of closure I9. These telescoping elements are brought into cooperative position with substantial force and provide a hermetic seal between the lid or closure 19 and the can l5. This is the present conventional construction.

In accordance with the present invention the closure or lid l9 has the portion 20, within its rim or outer margin, depressed into a plane below the top margin of the can. At the center of the closure [9 is provided an opening or hole 2| for the passage of the shaft 22 of the actuator, the margin of opening 2! forming a bearing for said shaft. Surrounding the opening 2| is provided a symmetrical depression 23 sloping downwardly from its outer margin towards its center, for receiving the solder or other sealing medium 24, forming normally a, hermetic seal between shaft 22 and the margin of opening 2 i. The purpose of this depression is to localize the sealing material and to insure its surrounding the shaft.

The general construction of the actuator including the shaft 22 and also of the stirrer 25 are shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5.

The lower portion 26 of the shaft 22 is substantially straight and is adapted to be inserted through the holes 27 of the stirring element 25,

' tion 34, see Fig. 6, between its two ends.

the portions between the holes 21 being offset in opposite directions to form grooves or passages for the straight portion 23 of shaft 22. The shaft 22 is preferably adapted to have a limited frictional sliding movement in element 25.

Shaft 22 is provided with an offset bend 28 in its vertical extension to limit the relative rotative movement between shaft 22 and stirring element 25. ,This offset portion 23 is preferably located above the topmost hole 21 of the stirring element, so that the shaft may be connected with and withdrawn from and have adjustable relationship with the stirring element.

When in operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shaft 22 is provided with a bend which is positioned above the plane of the portion 20 of the closure or can lid. This bend 30 is developed downwardly to the horizontal extension3l which is adapted to lie parallel with and rest upon the top surface of the lid portion 20. Extension 3 idevelops into the bend 32 and the reverse parallel extension 33 is provided with the offset por- This offset portion 34 is passed through the holes of a finger piece or opener element 36, which'is provided with the offset or depressed portion 31 in which said holes 35 are provided for receiving said offset portion 3 1 of the extension 33 of shaft 22. The finger piece or element 3'5 also has its end 38, as shown in Fig. 6, bent upwardly for the purpose to be described.

The stirring element 25 is provided, in the present example, with the reversely bent wings or propellers 25. The middle vertical portion or neck 29 is provided with the holes 2? in vertical alinement, and with the intermediate portions reversely offset to form alined channels as and for the purpose above described.

In operation As above stated, the outer horizontal extension 33 of the shaft 22, normally carries the opener 36, as shown. The other end or shaft of the actuator is inserted through the hole 2| of the can .top or lid is, and then through the holes 21 of the stirrer'ZE. After the can has been filled, the lid IS, with the assembly as above described, is forced into closure position upon the can. The joint or contact between lid or closure l9 and can or container is airtight. The shaft 22 may be sealed'with the lid or closure I9 before it is brought into closing position on the can, or the sealing may take place after the lid is forced into closing position. In either case, when'the lid is brought into horizontal position, the combined weight of the actuator, the stirrer and the opener,

automatically brings the shaft portion of the actuator into vertical positionv with the horizontal extension 3| resting upon the top surface of lid portion 20. In this position the parts are ready for the hermetic seal between the shaft 22 sential that the actuating element should automatically assume the proper position before the sealing operation. Itis also important that the bend 30 should not extend above the top margin of the can. By providing for slight relative vertical, and preferably frictional movement between the shaft and stirrer, the bend may be automatically pushed to proper position if necessary, by the 5 press which assembles the closure or lid IS with the can I5. The importance .of this automatic adjustment of actuator and stirrer will be obvious when it is understood that the operator, who

applies the seal, would be unable, in all instances, 10.

to see or correct the position of the actuator if it was wrong, and the result would probably be a broken seal in transportation.

The purpose of providing the bend or arch 30 above the plane of the lid portion 20 and of ex- 15 tension 3|, is to prevent the sealing material from creeping along said horizontal extension 3| and sealing or cementing the same to the lid.

The purpose of the finger piece or opener 36 is three-fold; first to serve as means for" lifting 20 the extension 33 of the actuator from horizontal to vertical position, that-is, perpendicularto the surfaceoi the closure, as indicated by the dotted. lines in Fig. 1; second to serveas a part of the crank handle to facilitate the rotation of the actu- 25 ator shaft proper, and third, as'means for opening the container, that is removing the closure. The upwardly curved end 38 of the finger piece 36 provides a convenient contacting surface for the finger in lifting the same. The u-shapediao formation, comprising extensions 3!, 32 and 33 has been found greatly to facilitate the use of extension 33 as a crank handle, since by pressing the finger upon the formation near the juncture of 3! and 32, the extension 33 may be liftedF35 without distorting the rest of the actuator structure. When the lifting of extension 33 is accomplished, the finger piece may be retained in the end of the crank to cooperate therewith, in the nature of a swivel in rotating the actuator. :10

The slight bend 35' nearthe free end of extension 33, prevents accidental disengagement of element 36. The force required to rotate the shaft, which is sealed to the margin of hole 2| in the center of the lid, is very slight because? the shaft is of relatively small diameter and of very smooth surface, which enables, with the leverage provided by the crank portion. of the actuator, in combination with the element 36, with slight effort, to release the shaft from theigo seal, whereupon the stirrer is rotated until the contents of the can are thoroughly mixed.

. After the completion of the stirring operation, the finger piece or element 36 may be removed from the actuator, and its end 38 inserted be-m; tween the adjacent outer flanges of the can and lid to remove the lid 0r closure from the can. The bent end 38, provides a fulcrum, and the central depression 37 of the opener affords efilvcientmeans for firmly gripping the opener,when "60 separating the lid from the can.

When the lid I9 is removed from the can, it preferably carries with ,it the stirrer, that is,'the stirrer is drawn out of the contents.

It should be preferred to permit the stirrerto' remain in the can, this can be accomplished by providing a looser fit between the shaft and stirrer, so that the shaft may be withdrawn from the can and the stirrer at the same time.

In other words the degree of friction'betweenqo the actuator shaft 22, and stirrer 25, in their relative longitudinal movements, may be regulated by aslight bending or straightening of the lower end 26 of shaft 22. Or if-it should be desired not to separate the actuator 22 from the {.75

.stirrer 25, or, in other words, to restrain relative movement after assembly, the said elements may be soldered, as at 39, or otherwise secured together.

It will be understood that the above description, in connection with the drawing, is given as an example of a preferred form or embodiment, but that applicant is not to be confined to. specific details of construction and operation except as limited by the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a container, a stirrer enclosed therein, an actuator shaft associated with the stirrer and having a part projecting through the wall of the container, with an extension parallel with the outer surface of said wall and adapted to be bent into a position perpendicular to said wall surface and a finger piece recessed for engagement with said extension to facilitate the operation of same.

2. In combination with a container, a stirrer enclosed therein, an actuator shaft associated with the stirrer and having a part projecting through the wall of the container with a U- shaped extension in a plane parallel with the outer adjacent surface of said wall, the outer leg of which is adapted to be bent into a position perpendicular to said wall surface, and a finger piece having recesses for engagement with said extension to facilitate bringing said extension to said perpendicular position and to cooperate with the crank handle in rotating the shaft.

3. In combination with a container, a stirrer enclosed therein, an actuator shaft associated with the stirrer and having a part projecting through the wall of the container with an extension parallel with the outer adjacent surface of said wall and adapted to be brought into a position perpendicular to said wall surface, and a finger piece having a depressed portion and recesses for disengageable connection with said extension to facilitate bringing said extension to said perpendicular position, and also shaped and adapted for use, after the stirring operation, in opening the container.

4. A container having a removable closure with a central opening, a stirrer within the container, and an actuator shaft associated with the stirrer, having a part projecting through said opening,

said stirrer comprising a body having radiating wings, and a middle vertical portion provided with holes in vertical alinement and with intermediate portions reversely offset to form alined channels for receiving the actuator. 5

5. In combination with a container, a stirrer enclosed therein, an actuating shaft operatively connected with the stirrer and having a part projecting through the wall of the container, said projecting part including two parallel extensions 10 with a connecting extension all substantially parallel with and in close proximity to the surface of the container wall, and an arch formed between the point of passage of the shaft through the container wall and the adjacent parallel extenl5 sion.

6. A container having a removable closure with a central opening, a stirrer within the container, and an actuating shaft operatively connected with the stirrer and having a part projecting 20 through said opening, said stirrer having a channel formation for receiving the end of the shaft and the shaft having an oifset part adapted to engage the stirrer above the point of shaft entrance to the channel, whereby independent slid- 25 ing movement between shaft and stirrer is permitted while independent rotative movement is prevented.

7. In combination with a container adapted to be hermetically sealed, a stirrer enclosed therein, 30 an actuating shaft operatively connected with the stirrer and having a part projecting through an opening in the container wall, said container Wall provided with a symmetrical concave depression surrounding said opening and a body in said 35 depression forming a hermetic seal between the shaft and the container wall.

8. In combination with a container adapted to be hermetically sealed, a stirrer enclosed therein, an actuating shaft operatively connected with 40 the stirrer and having a part projecting through an opening in the container wall and hermetically sealed in said opening, said projecting part including two parallel extensions connected by a transverse extension, all in a plane substantially 45 parallel with and adapted to rest upon the container wall.

JNO. P. CROASDALE, JR. 

